Guardian Angel
by Ayane M
Summary: For a decade, she's been under the watchful eye of the Spirit Realm - under Lord Enma's orders. Having done no wrong, however, she cannot be stopped when she chooses to leave. But what is she? Why does her DNA not match any records? Why can the most powerful psychics not retrieve her buried memories? She'll find out herself, or die trying. ((Rated JIC)) ((Hiei/OC))
1. Prologue

**A/N:** So I dunno what happened the first time I uploaded this...? I got a weird string of text when I checked it out in preview mode. Wonder if ffnet has an issue reading the text copied from google docs...? Whatevs. Hope this works. Only own my OC(s). I'll do my best to keep them to a minimum.

Welcome to _Never Before, Never Again_ take three!

* * *

**Prologue**

"There's one more, Lord Koenma, but…"

The toddler-esque leader of the Spirit Realm sighed and glanced over at his subordinate. It had been hard enough on him to have Shinobu up and disappear the way he had, without the added stress of a trafficking ring creeping up. It had taken more time than he would have liked to free the women and children - humans and demons alike - and the paperwork for the case had done nothing more than pile up the longer it took.

What a hassle… he thought to himself as the ogre under his indifferent gaze shifted. "What is it this time, Harold?" What was so terribly important that it had to interrupt the entire process?

"We, uh, can't match her blood type, sir. Not to anything in our database." The ogre flipped through the papers on his clipboard, more an attempt to avoid his boss's gaze than to find any information. "And she is of no help - amnesia has caused her to forget everything but her name." Upon getting to the final page, he peeked at Koenma over the board. "The S.D.F. says she's our problem."

Koenma frowned, curious at this. The S.D.F. never did anything outside of his father's orders, he knew from experience, and if this was truly an order from him then it was an odd one indeed. He had Harold permit her entry and scowled instantly. "Why is she still chained?" he snapped.

Harold's eyes begged for forgiveness as he looked upon his boss. "They didn't rewire her mind, you see. She needs psychological retraining…"

The rest of his words were drowned out as Koenma leaped from his desk and approached them slowly. The woman was clearly malnourished and abused - her eyes were wild as she flicked her gaze over Harold and then around the room, her hair was unkempt, her bone structure was showing throw her skin - yet for someone who had been through an ordeal such as hers, she was remarkably scar free. He noticed the way she stilled when she took note of him, her eyes misting over. Curious, he thought, stopping a few feet from her. There was silence in the hall for a long moment before he raised his hand in greeting, "Yo!"

"Midori…"

It was the first and only word she spoke to him for many weeks, partly due to the consciousness she had lost shortly afterwards and did not regain for almost a fortnight. Once awake, Koenma insured she received the help she needed before approaching her again. When she did not lose herself in emotion, and gave no indication of knowing who "Midori" could possibly be, he set her up in a room on the grounds.

Botan had taken warmly to her which, if he were honest with himself, had probably finalized his decision to help the young woman. It was better to keep that silly woman happy than have to deal with her pouting for the next three hundred years. The blue-haired woman's presence had a positive effect on Ayane as well, it appeared, as the woman slowly came out of her shell over the next few months. Her shaky aura grew solid and warm as she found herself secure in her new home.

Koenma, too, relaxed and fell into his paperwork routine once more. Botan kept the amnesiac girl entertained when she was around, keeping her out of his way, which was terribly convenient.

Though he would never admit he enjoyed when she sat with him in his office to anyone. He had his suspicions it was due to her past life, but there was many a time where she would insist on coddling him in her lap as he filed his paperwork. He adamantly refused at first but, at the sight of her distraught face, he had eventually given in, reminding her that he was thousands of years old.

"It doesn't matter," she sighed, holding her cheek against his. "Your skin is still as soft as a baby, despite your age."

Though an embarrassing statement, he continued with his paperwork and refused her request less and less. He was still young for a ruler, still willing to accept such a maternal act… and, he half-convinced himself, it may help bring back her memories.

Such a spoiled prince, was he.

Over time, he realized the coddling was doing nothing to help her memories, but doing wonders for both of their relaxation levels. She was often seen speaking confidently to people she had skittered away from only days prior in recent days, while he noticed he was less furious at his underlings for their stupidity.

A few months in, his blue-haired ferry stood across his desk from him. Ayane had gone to bed several hours prior and their conversation had shifted from business to the amnesiac. She had been proven to have a very large amount of spiritual power, yet she appeared to have little to no control over it.

"...What is she, sir?"

"Whatever she is, Botan, she needs our protection. Father's had his probes in here many times, watching her, during her time here." He frowned and shut his eyes, leaning back into his chair. "I don't like the feeling I'm getting from this situation, that's for sure."


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hey, everyone! Thanks for getting through the prologue and making your way here! It's a pleasure to have you all reading along! If you're new to my poor attempts at writing, please do not be scared away - if you're a returning user, well... I'm sorry I've rewritten Ayane's backstory so many times. I promise I'll get it right eventually, haha. I mean... I've been at it for a decade and a half at this point! Oof... Just stay tuned! XOXO

...I even got this posted in the timeframe I had planned! Though I did almost forget... Sigh.

* * *

**Chapter One**

"Are you watching the Urameshi boy again, Koenma?"

The toddler shrugged, eyeing up the dark haired woman as she approached him. "Father insists I do this. And Botan is in the field with him as well, unfortunately." Her hands reached out for him and, though he groaned, he permitted her to lift him up and place him on her lap as she sat in his high back chair. "He's troublesome."

"Everyone is troublesome to you." Her laughter had become commonplace in the castle as of late, mostly with Botan in tow, but sometimes at his expense. It was light and sweet, yet it had little capacity of reaching her eyes, they had noticed. She always seemed so lost in thought and, for someone in her situation, it made all the sense in the universe.

The two watched Botan and Yusuke sail through the town he had grown up in, almost absentmindedly. Koenma's IN stack was very slowly dwindling, and his OUT pile increasing as he skimmed the paperwork between glances at the screen. Yusuke was an odd teenager - it would be perfectly normal for anyone, let alone some who had their entire life before them, to accept without question.

Yet Yusuke had made the instant decision to stay dead. That had piqued the Spirit Realm's interest even more so than his dying for a child he had not had to. Had they truly gotten this child so wrong?

Ayane had thought so the moment it happened and Botan reported in. When asked, she only smiled and shrugged. Sometimes she just knew, is all she ever said to him. She was pleased when the boy agreed to Botan's suggestion of waiting until the wake, and she had taken every opportunity to peep on his progress alongside Koenma. The pint sized ruler was curious, but knew better than to ask - she rarely gave anything short of cryptic answers, though she had improved over the last few years.

Humming filled his ears as the wake began and people arrived. The tune was unfamiliar and sad - appropriate for the atmosphere of such an event. It took him a moment to realize the sound was not from the screen, but the woman holding him. He sent a questioning glance over his shoulder at her but found himself unwilling to break the intense gaze she had on the screen. The expression had become commonplace and he always hoped leaving her in her state of mind would remind her of something. A decade of research had gotten them all nowhere and if his father knew anything, his lips were sealed tight.

His curiosity was tangible.

He returned to his work, stamping papers after a once-over, listening to the dull chatter of the visitors mixing with the hypnotic song. The night passed as any other wake would - those only there out of obligation, those there for deeper reasons, even those to criticize - and most of the guests came as no surprise to Koenma. Sometime around Kuwabara's removal, the humming ceased, though Ayane remained riveted to the screen. Koenma chanced another peek at her and watched the tears well up in her eyes as the guidance counselor from Yusuke's school sat down to speak to the framed picture of the boy.

Then...

"YUSUUUKE!"

The cry from Yusuke's mother alarmed him less than the sudden death grip Ayane had him in. Cries such as those were normal for funerals - he was sure there would be more where that one came from - and they had been almost expected. After all, Yusuke Urameshi was very much loved and cared for by those around him... despite his proclivities.

"A-Ayane, please…!"

It took a moment of him prying at her hands, pleading for her to calm down, for her to regain herself. It took another moment for her to fully release him. Even with her arms withdrawn from him, he felt her trembling. Hesitantly, he turned to look at her, almost predicting the wild, terrified eyes that he had seen the first time the woman had entered the room. He lowered himself from her lap after muting the screen - surely a silent feed would do little to harm her.

"Ayane, shall I summon Doctor Higurashi?"

Higurashi was the first one Ayane had come to recognize as someone other than an enemy - an elderly psychic who had come under Spirit World protection within the last decade and a half. The silver haired woman spoke softly to Ayane and had encouraged her past her fear of men since her incident. There were times early on when Ayane would fall into these fits and the only one able to talk her out of them had been the woman.

He wondered briefly if she would respond at all, but she soon blinked herself out of her dazed state and smiled sadly at him. "That won't be necessary, Koenma. I'm probably just tired." She stood and curtseyed at him, respecting his title as she had from the start, despite the lack of use on her end. "Your project will be here shortly, I suspect." A nod towards the screen brought him back to the job at hand. "Don't work too hard, little one."

Koenma muttered as she walked towards the door, hoping the ogres that filed in after she left with stacks of paperwork would be unable to distinguish the embarrassment from anger. His desk filling up once again, he let out a sigh and shut off his screen, the woman retiring to her room moving just as quickly to the back of his mind.

She had proven she could take care of herself. Somehow.

In the coming weeks, she would watch Yusuke's going-ons in the Human Realm with Koenma, though she had ceased holding him. She never offered an explanation and he never asked, and so it was put behind them for the time being. He had learned it best to give women space while they mull things over.

"You won't count that against him, will you? He didn't actually speak to her…"

Koenma had not stopped frowning at the small smile that had disappeared as soon as it had appeared on the young girl's lips. Kayko Yukimura was a dear friend of Yusuke's and, if Botan's assessment was unclouded, his main love interest. The girl's reports came back positive - high respect for authority figures, eager to assist her parents and friends, terribly bright - and it was curious as to how these two came to be so close.

Stranger still was the tall boy alongside Yusuke. Kazuma Kuwabara would have ended up with a report similar to Yusuke's if not for the strict moral code thrust upon him by his older sister. As a result, the boy's only fault lay in how many street fights he would pick on any given day.

When Koenma voiced his musings about the three aloud early on, Ayane had stared at him in confusion and responded, "I think they'll all be together for a very long time, Koenma. Can't you see their lights?" He had no idea how to answer her question - knowing she would be unable to answer his - and turned back to the screen, making a mental note about her words to check up on later.

Nothing, as predicted, came up.

"Of course that doesn't count," he responded finally, irritably. "Moron doesn't even know she's awake! What a Spirit Detective I'm stuck with!"

Ayane's smile was brilliant then as she faced the screen again.

"He'll be amazing," she insisted, though if pushed, would be unable to explain her confidence. She had proven herself to be quite the intuitive creature, often spotting suspicious workers in their ranks long before they are sniffed out. Koenma had not doubted her intuition once and, in fact, respected her for it. This was no exception. If she had faith in Yusuke, then so would he.

She insisted on a celebratory party in the office once Yusuke's resurrection had come to fruition and Botan had made her temporary return. The ferry had clearly shared in her excitement, a cake box held between her hands as she walked through the doors, and Koenma found himself blowing glitter off his paperwork and glaring down anyone that attempted to join in the festivities for the next few hours.

There was so much work to do. This was no time for parties! He repeated these phrases like a mantra in his head, using it to drown out the sound of the girls giggling and carrying on behind him. It was hours before someone tried breaking through it.

"Koenma, sir, if I may…?"

The tiny ruler paused, stamp hovering over his paper, and gave his assistant a sideways glance. "What is it, George? I don't have all millenia."

"I believe the girls have fallen asleep… and isn't it past the time for Botan to return to inform the boy of his new status?"

Silence passed between them for a moment or two, each sizing up the other carefully. Then, as Koenma lowered his stamp, he shot a glance towards the girls. George knew as his boss's body tensed that he did not approve of the girls cuddled up on some cushions in the corner, circled by sweets and pop, sound asleep. Certainly not when there was so much work to be done. George also knew that his boss would explode at the nearest person to him, whether or not they were the center of his rage.

He certainly could be a child sometimes.

That was how Koenma's shouting at George awoke the two women and set them into action. They offered the ogre, who was comically being screamed at by a toddler standing on a desk, apologetic looks as they went about their business… which meant sneaking out from under Koenma's wrath.

"And clean this mess up!" Koenma, now red in the face and out of breath, collapsed in his chair. "I swear, I don't know why I pay you useless idiots!"

George began to open his mouth, wanting desperately to make the point that those under his employ were, in fact, not paid, but thought better of it when he noticed the thoughtful look on Koenma's face. "...Sir?" he ventured.

"This is going to be an interesting adventure, George… I doubt the greatest psychics would be able to tell us what's in store for us." He offered no more and the room fell silent save the sound of light stamping against wood and straw brushing against concrete.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I'm surprised I remembered to post this - my days are now all weird since I'm trying to swap to a third shift schedule before the weekend. Yare yare... Enjoy, y'all! And lemme know what you think!

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Seeing Yusuke had been odd - almost familiar - but the thought had been dismissed by the time of his revival. A fourteen year old boy who knew nothing of the world would know nothing of her, of that she was sure. If he bore any importance to her, it would be up to her to determine what importance he held. That, likely, would mean the return of her memories and _that_, she had long since decided, would happen when it was necessary… when the memories were needed.

Kazuma was different from Yusuke, in that there was zero sense of familiarity. Her heart had warmed instantly at the sight of him and she had known him for the good child he was, even as Koenma shuffled to find his file. There was a soft light that surrounded him and he positively _glowed_. She found herself peeking over Koenma's shoulder at the file, taking the time to learn about the Kuwabara siblings.

Yusuke's childhood sweetheart, Kayko, was a sweet child who shone the brightest of the three to Ayane. She had an amusing temper that her counterpart seemed to love flaring up and the way their lights reacted to one another was absolutely mesmerizing. The melding and dancing against each other was fascinating and most familiar.

They were not a special case, however.

The dancing of the lights occasionally caught her eye as Spirit World's eyes followed Yusuke's movements. Usually, the odd movements came from those traveling in pairs. Once, though, there had been a lone man whose light crossed the path of a woman on another man's arm… The two stared at one another for just a moment before continuing along their paths. Neither looked back, though remnants of their lights remained for several beats afterwards.

Something in her wept for them, though she knew not why.

She had seen these lights since her memories began, though there was little light to be seen at the compound she was rescued from. Those whose lights had not been completely shrouded in darkness had had their lights all but snuffed out. Both cases were lost and both caused her an immense amount of discomfort to be around. Most of her early days there had been spent in a blurred, nearly unconscious state, aware only enough to keep herself safe.

Those types of lights were rarely seen throughout the Human Realm, she noticed. She was relieved at the prospect of such a peaceful place outside the walls she had lived in for a decade. It was beautiful, overall. The humans shone _beautifully_.

Then the trio of bandits made themselves known. Gouki was most vile - his light one of the dimmest she had seen to date - and it was no surprise when she discovered what his proclivities were. She found herself unable to watch while he was on screen, screams she wished she could forget echoing in her ears.

She trusted Yusuke to fix things, in this instance, and he did not disappoint.

The redheaded pacifist, of sorts, had a light she had never seen before - especially from a teenage boy. Some confusion was lifted when he revealed his true identity to Yusuke and she closed the matter in her mind, at least for the moment.

Then there was Hiei.

She had forgotten her life before the traffickers, and she had worked on her repulsion to males during therapy, but the feeling she had when they received their first image of the one named Hiei... it was different from any reaction she currently knew. The fierce reaction she had when that man on the screen overwhelmed her. His face burned in her mind, his voice echoed in her ears - awake or asleep.

She found herself unable to speak to Dr. Higurashi, or anyone else, about it. What was there for her to say? If she was unable to put it into words, how could anyone else?

There had been dark voids throughout his light that hurt her to behold and, though appalled at his broken body, she was relieved Yusuke managed to bring him in. She knew he would be brought to where she was, after all, and then… and then...

And then _what_?

She held herself tighter and chewed on her lower lip as they watched Botan tie up loose ends and secure the two demons for transport. Straight to where she was. The thought quickened her pulse and she sat, cross-legged, on the floor. When Koenma spoke, presumably to ask what in heaven she was doing on the floor, she made a vague hand motion in his direction. _Silence_, it said to him, _can't you see I'm thinking?_ Her gaze had long since left the screen that now focused less on the man already inside her head and more on the safety and security of the humans he had chosen to attack.

"I'm sending the portal, Botan."

Koenma's words roused her from her inner turmoil and brought the reality of the situation to her. The first one through the portal was Kurama who, she took note, was much clearer in person. Though still writhing and somewhat grey, his inner light had clearly begun to make a positive tilt. He was sullen and silent as his feet landed on the concrete, but his eyes almost instantly met hers from across the room, almost curiously.

She had no time for him, however, and neither did his companion, it seemed. The smaller demon pushed roughly into the redhead's back as he barrelled through the portal, eyes darting dangerously as though still looking for a fight after being caught.

His eyes, too, eventually found hers. Finally, she thought as it happened, finally it would all make sense to her. There would be some kind of explanation as to _why_ she was unable to get this man out of her head.

Yet there was no real answer, no sudden jolt in her memories. As the two stared one another down, she felt her own light nearly singe her skin, reacting fiercely to the twisting pits of nothing in his, wanting desperately to _fill_ them.

She wanted to hold him. She wanted him to hold her.

Those thoughts _terrified_ her.

So she became stone and forced her gaze away.

It was an hour or two after the demons had been taken in for questioning that Ayane ventured to ask about their fate.

"Kurama will be released to his human mother while he continues to serve under the Spirit World as a detective in order to work of his debts." _Thud_. Another stack of papers down, only sixteen more to go, he thought dryly. "Anything else I can answer for you, Ayane?"

She was silent for a while, contemplative. Then, "What about Hiei?"

It never failed to surprise Koenma just how unintentionally open and honest she was with those feelings of hers. Then, maybe it surprised her how guarded everyone else was with theirs. He offered her a smile and rested his head on his fist. "Why? Do you sense something in him, too? Like you did with Yusuke?"

Her silence was unexpected and he studied her confused face. Something different then?

"I don't understand it myself, Koenma…" Her voice was tiny, almost childlike, and pouty. A laugh fought to escape him. "I just feel like there's _something_ about him. I feel like I need to… I don't know… _protect_ him, or something." She frowned again, studying the ground like it could hold the answers for her.

He wished it could, for her sake.

"He, too, will be put on probation. The psychics uncovered some things from his past…" His words faltered; he knew she would be against them using his past to keep him in line. "He may require our help to save his sister." _Nice save_, he thought, even as she eyed him and her lips pulled into a frown. She had an uncanny way of knowing when the truth was being twisted, he had learned quickly, though she rarely called him out.

The two studied each other for another moment before she turned away. "Where will he stay?"

Koenma began sliding papers off another stack and responded as he returned to work, "He is to be under Spirit World care, though due to the companionship he seems to have developed with Kurama, there is a chance he will be sent to the Human Realm with him."

"You'd have the thieves babysit one another?" She found she was unable to hold in her laughter. "Or are you suggesting, perhaps, you leave them both under the care of Yusuke? He'll surely be great _in time_, Koenma, but remember he's only fourteen!" When she settled down, she turned to face him again, grinning. "_I_ can go watch them!"

It was Koenma's turn to laugh, and she allowed him his time.

"Koenma, I've been meaning to ask this for almost a year now…" she began as he settled down, "am I under some kind of house arrest?"

There was no way to give her an answer he did not have; he sighed and leaned back, turning his stamp around in his hands. "I knew you'd ask this sooner or later, but I just don't have the answers you seek. My father hasn't given me any sort of information about you. I would like you to stay, Botan would _love_ for you to stay… but I also don't believe we're to stop you if you choose to leave." He frowned and the stamp stilled. "Where will you go, Ayane?"

That was the question, she knew, that _she_ had no answer for. She was positive she would find a way to make it all work, but she had no concrete _plan_. In that same way Yusuke never seemed to know…

"If I may…? The lady is free to stay with me."


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Sorry this is late, guys. I won't lie - I forgot. Sorry! Spent the last week doing my first 3 day fast then switching to a keto diet with intermittent fasting as well as flipping my sleep schedule for my third shifts this weekend... Yeah, yeah. I guess I'm making excuses. I'm the worst... Enjoy anyway, lol.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

It had been almost effortless for Kurama to convince his human mother that Ayane had been recently displaced due to… various reasons Ayane herself had had no interest in. It was always unpleasant for her to be around lies and it had taken a few days for her to grow accustomed to the thick air of them that surrounded Kurama everywhere he went.

It was terribly suffocating.

A week passed rather uneventfully - Shiori learned what she could of Ayane without pushing any boundaries and Kurama attended school as if nothing had changed. One night, however, Shiori called to let them know she would be home late. There were leftovers in the fridge, she fretted, apologizing for the short notice.

"Don't worry so, mother. Ayane and I are able to handle ourselves."

Ayane took the remainder of the time he was on the phone with her to reheat the designated food and place it on the table. Silence filled the room - something Shiori seemed to be most uncomfortable with at her meals - until Ayane's mullings finally protruded from her mouth;

"Why did you agree so readily to invite me into your home?"

The redhead finished swallowing and leaned forward, chin in palm, elbow propped up on the table. His eyes studied her in a way similar to an exhausted parent does an unruly child. She took no insult to this, knowing the man before her - though in the body of a teenager - was _many _years older than herself and very likely saw her as no more than a petulant child.

As quick as he saw his reflection in her eyes did he change, his features softening as he relaxed into his chair. His light flickered, struggling with itself. She recognized his attempts, but was so far thoroughly unimpressed. "I am not one to leave a woman in distress."

"You're lying," the words were out of her mouth before she could stop them and she winced at her own tone before looking away from him. While it was true it was an untruthful response to her question, she knew it was not a true lie - so why had she chosen this one to call him out on?

There was no falter in his actions, no hesitance in his words. He merely smiled politely at her accusation and tilted his head. "And how do you know this?"

"Because…" an odd feeling of deja vu washed over her as her next words tumbled out, "your light flickered near your heart and your brain - the two places where lies affect someone the most..." She gave him a questioning look.

His smile tightened. "You should eat your food, Ayane. We can talk about this when you regain your memories. It is not my place to break your own restrictions."

She accepted his words and gave her thanks for the meal.

They became closer after that - he told less falsehoods around her and she spoke more openly around him. Often times they would fall asleep sitting against one another, each engrossed in their own book. She was fascinated with this world he found himself growing so comfortable in and accepted any book about it he could offer.

It was all so strange and, somehow, so terribly familiar to her. He could tell her, she was sure, but the emerald eyed fox held his tongue as he watched her, allowing her to rediscover her lost memories on her own.

She was unsure if she was frustrated or grateful towards him.

"Shuichi, dear, you have a break from school soon, don't you? Did you have any plans?" It was a common thing for parents to do, Ayane had learned quickly, to gently encourage their children to make social connections. Kurama had revealed to her that, until his recent stint, he had had nowhere to go during breaks and Shiori had expressed her concern a few times.

Ayane slowly chewed, trying to keep the attention from her, as the demon smiled at his human mother. "Ayane and I will travel to see some of her extended family, but it shouldn't take up the entire break." He paused. "Would you like us to do anything for you while on break, mother?"

"Oh, no, dear. I'll be just fine. You two enjoy yourselves and stay safe!"

It was another two weeks before they departed, well into his school break, and Ayane found herself tugging nervously at her shirt as they stood before the portal. It was Kurama who pointed it out, really, and she wondered about it to herself. There was no reason to be unsure of seeing Botan and Koenma again - she placed that as excitement as she had not seen them in weeks. So, then… it had to be…

"Hiei." She frowned and looked at the man she would tentatively refer to as her friend. "There's something about him that I just can't place my finger on." A shrug and a small huff preceded her storming past him to walk into the portal; she missed Kurama's amused look at her expense. On the other side, she walked assuredly ahead of him, greeting the occasional worker as they ran around frantically. They spoke no more of the spiky haired bandit

Five days were spent there - Kurama filling out paperwork for his release and Ayane catching up with Botan and Koenma. She discovered Yusuke was training with Genkai and was told in a suggestive way by Botan that Hiei seemed to be doing well in confinement and may be released sooner instead of later. It surprised Ayane how happy that news truly made her. It surprised her more when she asked to see him.

Koenma had been hesitant to allow it, but Kurama suggested he would like to confirm some things with Hiei. Under guard, the two approached the bandit's cell.

"I don't advise you go in, Ayane," the fox murmured, his hand hovering over the handle. He added, quickly, "I won't stop you, of course." He frowned at the silent gaze they shared before sweeping the door open.

The air stilled and time stood still when she peeked around Kurama to look at him. There were fresh wounds from the _questioning_ Koenma would be scolded for later. If he was uncomfortable in the slightest, however, he was not one to tip his hand. Bound to the wall by chains, he sat on the floor with his head resting against the wall. His eyes were shut as they crossed the threshold and he would have passed for asleep if he had not smirked at their presence.

His light wavered its defiance, in case anyone missed the pride on his face.

She pushed past Kurama then, despite his protest, and reached out to the obviously broken man who snarled and reared back as he opened his eyes. An eternity stretched between them, the room silent and poised, as she returned his glare. Both sent warnings: _get away_ and _stand down_.

"Don't touch me, woman," he seethed, breaking the spell over the room's inhabitants.

"Oh, shut _up_," she returned. "You're not allowed to do anything, anyway. I'm your keeper once you get out of here. I'll be speaking to Koenma about your treatment here, too." Though her heart pounded fiercely in her chest, she held her hands towards him again. "Now you have a guest and it would do you well to be polite. I hear he's a dangerous criminal."

Hiei blinked slowly at her, wondering at her dry tone, before his eyes found Kurama over her shoulder. To his chagrin, the fox that he assumed to be the visitor she spoke of seemed terribly amused by her antics. Being unable to use telepathy in the prison was unfortunate, but he had no qualms asking aloud, "Who is the woman? Is she truly our warden?"

"Of sorts." The redhead composed himself and strode over to the pair. "I advise you allow her to assist you. She's quite the healer."

As the men spoke, mostly in short sentences, she mended the cuts and bruises Koenma's men had left behind. She was warm beside him, even as she herself sat on the stone, and his voice sent comforting vibrations through his chest and into her palm. It took very little energy for her to heal these types of wounds yet she felt so _tired_ when she was finished… Being near Hiei was thrilling and exhausting and she found herself drawn to those feelings, curious about them.

"Ayane, our discussion is complete." Kurama's voice brought her back to reality and she stood quickly, offering the prisoner a curtsy yet refusing to meet his eyes again. Both men noticed this but gave nothing away in the moment, choosing to file it away for their own purposes. "Just one week left before freedom, Hiei. Don't screw it up." He offered the younger man a smile and turned away.

"Freedom? Hn. Foolish. There is no freedom when one is chained."

Kurama glanced back at him, knowing he spoke of Ayane and not the physical shackles holding him in place. A shrug and a soft laugh preceded his last words to his friend, "You are only as chained as you allow yourself to be."

Ayane was grateful when Kurama did not ask about her reactions after they left - she had no answer to give him, after all. Another week passed for them, uneventfully. They were told to keep their heads down until Yusuke returned to the area. It frustrated her that Koenma treated her as though she were one of the bad guys after all the time they had spent together, though she rationalized it was the work of his father.

As she stared out the window one afternoon, dwelling on Lord Enma, she almost missed the abnormality flying around in the streets below.

"That's a big mosquito, Kurama…"

It was soon after she uttered those words that word came from Koenma about the Saint Beasts in Maze Castle. Though she wanted terribly to go and keep an eye on Hiei… and the others… she remained with Shiori, maintaining a shield around the home and watching the Demon Realm through a private channel Koenma set up for her.

Fear, sorrow, and pride swirled around inside her as she watched the group battle through their enemies. It had been almost a month since she watched them all fight for the first time and she made mental notes to discuss with them later - Kurama especially, as there had been no reason for him to be harmed. Vanity is a sin, she would remind him as he returned through the portal.

No harm came to Hiei - at least from what she was able to watch - but she remained tense through the entirety of Yusuke's battle. Tears rolled from her eyes as she watched the young boy struggle with the lightning user, fighting for his and everyone else's lives to his last breath.

Kazuma was truly a blessing.

Hiei followed Kurama - whom she refused to heal - upon his return to the Human Realm. A brief glare met Ayane when she hesitantly greeted the two before the visitor disappeared out the window.

"...What a grump."

Her companion winced as a chuckle escaped him. "He sees you as an obstacle to his freedom," he explained, turning from her and locating the demon healing herbs he had stored. "Do you blame him for his behavior? Until a few weeks ago, he thought he would rule the world."

Ayane laughed then, almost in disbelief. "He never really thought that. Did you think he did?"

Kurama glanced over his shoulder and hummed at her in response. Of course he had known the true intentions behind Hiei's quest for "world domination", though the one in question would be hard pressed to admit it, even to himself. She excused herself as he mixed his salve and wandered downstairs to start dinner before Shiori returned, leaving him to his thoughts.

What would come of this, in the end?


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Got it on time this week, guys. -winks- Next couple chapters are just waiting for their appropriate week - fleshing out chapter seven at the moment... and regretting everything, as I tend to at this point in all of my stories. BUT! I'll persevere and finish this story! ...While starting another one.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

There it was again - that push at the back of her mind that told her of his attempt to invade. She frowned and shot a glare in his direction, annoyed further at the haughty smirk he responded with. The _audacity_ of him was astounding, truly. With more force than she would admit under threat of death, she returned her gaze to the hole she had previously been burning into the wall across from her. Gods, being around him was absolute torture.

And, it seemed, he knew it.

Ayane reached for Kurama's sleeve and tugged gently. The redhead continued his discussion with Koenma but she saw his frown at her action. It was a signal they had come up with together to make him aware of his friend's intrusions.

It had started out inconspicuously - she felt a weird pressure at the back of her skull as she sat downstairs with Shiori after the events from Maze Castle. It was gone before the women stood to make dinner and it was a lost memory by the time the three of them sat for their meal. The second or third time that evening, however, and she went to Kurama for help with it. He pursed his lips, his light flared dangerously, and he told her simply to let him know if it happened again.

Days passed before it did, though she went immediately to his room when the pressure began and was stunned into silence at the presence of Hiei. The wards the fox kept in the house had a habit of messing with even her senses, and she was a little frustrated she had not noticed him sooner and prepared herself.

"Yes, Ayane?" Kurama's voice was calm, though his eyes alone told her another story as he refused to break his gaze on his friend. "Is your head bothering you again?"

She blinked hard and looked at her feet, remembering herself before shaking her head. "It was for a moment, but not anymore." Kurama's laughter caused her to look up, though she winced at the malicious air to his surroundings.

His eyes still had not left Hiei.

"I don't see what pleasure you gain from attempting to infiltrate her thoughts, Hiei, but let me assure you it will not happen under my watch."

The tension too much for her to bear, she took a heavy step into the bedroom, gaining both of their attention. "Need I _remind_ you misbehaved demons," she started, watching the vitriol fade from the fox, "that you're both technically under _my_ watch?"

Though Kurama visibly forced his chuckle away, Hiei did not allow her the satisfaction of being outwardly amused. Instead, he approached her slowly… and she cursed her legs for refusing her commands to run.

"Hiei…" Kurama's soft warning contained a deadly threat.

"I know, fox," he hissed in return, his gaze still holding hers. "I know I mustn't harm the toddler's _pet_." His words did not have the desired effect, as she had known they would come from his mouth before he did. He scowled at her. "Feh! As though a small woman such as yourself could be held to the degree of jailor! That fool was simply ready to be rid of you!"

The pain shooting through her chest had little to do with his attacks, she knew. There was no way for her to stop his words, no way for her to help him. She knew this, had known it from the moment they met, and it struck her full force then as he stood there, trying to tear her down.

And then the tears came.

It had not mattered that he thought the tears were over his words, not to her. It did not matter that he never learn _why_ she wept that evening. It did not matter that Kurama had chased him out under the premise he had hurt her feelings. None of it mattered.

She just wanted to help him - it was _so important_… yet she found it so hard to reach him.

The next day, she found herself unable to resist tagging along with Kurama. Koenma had - reluctantly - informed her of the mission he had sent his human detectives on, as it pertained to the demon she was so adamant about protecting.

Following along behind everyone else had not been what she had intended, however...

"Hiei wasn't supposed to know about this mission of theirs, though it's no surprise he found out." His eyes narrowed as they followed the black blur. "He's following them because they know where his sister is."

"...So why are we following him?"

Kurama sighed and rubbed at his temple. "I didn't tell you to come along, Ayane. You did this on your own. I am here to keep an eye on Hiei. I need to verify he won't kill the humans."

"He won't."

Green eyes darted over to her for a moment. "I trust your intuition, but part of my contract for my freedom involves keeping an eye on my less sociable colleague."

"He knows we're following him." There had been several times she had felt the pressure of his invasive mind against hers, more forceful and annoyed than usual. "I don't think it's right to keep these things from him."

The silent response was expected. She had nagged at him for almost an hour on their way there about informing Hiei and the others they would be there for back up. She had no clue why there was a need to be underhanded, she had told him haughtily.

It was not _his_ place to tell her this was another test of sorts set up by the Spirit Realm. If she missed the signs, it was on her.

There was no need for them, for which Ayane was grateful. The toxic lights scattered through the building made her nauseous and wish for the boys to finish the mission quickly. The worst light was somewhere in the arena with Yusuke and Kazuma so when she and Kurama began walking upwards, away from them, she felt a bit safer, though she worried over the humans that fought against it.

Hiei waited at the top of the stairs, the guards already unconscious while the boss looked on at the fight, salivating. Though Kurama's intention was to keep them physically hidden, crimson eyes slid her way for a moment, connecting in a way that sent shivers through her body. _Don't interfere_, they warned her.

But she had known from the start he would take no lives that day, despite his desire to do so.

It was almost a week before Hiei came around again but it happened upon a day when Kurama had not yet returned from class. The demon found her alone, lounging across the fox's bed, singing along to some music she had convinced the human obsessed redhead to bring her. There was a moment before she noticed him where he simply sat in the windowsill, unsure if he should even stay.

"Hi, Hiei." Her tone managed to not shift from when she was singing. "Kurama will be home soon, if you would like to have a seat." Hesitantly, she glanced over her shoulder at him. "I'll just be over here. I'll leave when he gets here."

Then the interaction between them was over. He stayed, opting to stand alongside the window rather than sit around anywhere, and she remained where she had started, though the room had become uncomfortably silent. She made it a point to ignore what she saw as a presence poking at her mind, tolerating it until Hiei sensed Kurama and exited on his own.

"I'll find a crack, woman." The growl was directed at her back as she walked towards the open door Kurama had just opened and the latter stared curiously between the two. "Don't mock me."

She smiled and placed a hand on Kurama's arm before he could ask. There was no need for his intervention, after all, she was able to handle herself… no matter how dizzy spending time near him made her. Without a word, she glanced back at him and stuck out her tongue, holding it for a moment before disappearing past her housemate to assist in making dinner.

Kurama stifled his laughter as Hiei's expression shifted from disbelief to anger. "There comes a time when one learns to quit fighting pointless battles, Hiei. Maybe your time has come?"

Clearly, as the three sat across from Koenma four days later and prodded relentlessly at her, he had learned nothing.

"I think it's safest to have as many people as possible for our side, especially if the others will be bringing along their human family members." Kurama chose to continue with Koenma, talk of the Dark Tournament the main focus.

Ayane grew bored of the prodding, of the discussion. They all knew the outcome of this meeting, but it did not keep Koenma from trying his best to keep her in the Spirit Realm or safely in the human's home. It was infuriating to have him coddle her so, but she found it hard to place blame on him. She would do the same, were the table flipped.

So she went to locate Botan, craving advice and comfort from the woman she had spent even more time with over the years.

"You like him!" Botan's words were more a surprised exclamation than any kind of question. As Ayane had no clue what that entailed, she shrugged in response, and the blue haired ferry lost her everloving _mind_. "I never expected you, of all people, to fall for someone like him, though! And you say he's trying to pry past your mental barriers? Oh, Ayane, this might be dangerous, but it could also be your happy ending!"

It was fortunate for Ayane that Hiei was unable to break through her barriers, she knew, since those thoughts were likely to irritate him more than anything else… though a part of her was amused at the thought of him overhearing the conversation. How would he react to Botan's ramblings?

She left with the two shortly after her "girl talk", as Botan called it, and they stood in Kurama's room, an odd air settling over the three of them. It was uncomfortable, but she was relieved he had stopped prying at her mind… for the moment, at least.

"Well, I'm going to go help Shiori with dinner. I expect you downstairs in thirty minutes to set the table, Kurama." There was silence between the men for a moment after she left, the two eyeing each other carefully. Then, Kurama spoke,

"I think you're a little confused when it comes to Ayane, Hiei. There is nothing for her to hide. She knows _nothing_. If you want answers, try Koenma. Surely he learned _something_ about her over the years they spent together."

There was no response, but Hiei was gone soon after those words. Kurama sighed, shaking his head at the spot where his friend once stood. These secrets were not his to tell, though it sure would make his life easier if he did.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Guys, seriously...? Why are people still reading and adding _EtB_ to their lists? -cries- My stories always get attention when I consider getting rid of them! -flails- The poor attention to the already established timeline I was doing makes me sad, though, after spending so much time reading and rereading and looking for timelines all over the internet for this fic... So, if I work on _EtB _again, it will be from scratch once more!

...Though I think I have an even better idea to replace it with, sooo... Stay tuned?

* * *

**Chapter Five**

Koenma's words echoed incessantly in his head and he had no explanation for why. The woman bore no importance to him… Still, he found himself unable to forget the first time he had walked through a portal into the same room as her. There had been no warning for him, unlike for her, and the strong female presence was not what he had expected when he entered Spirit Realm to face his fate.

Her gaze was on him before he located it.

There was a curiosity in that look of hers that kept his own attention, combined with a feeling similar to familiarity. He did not know her, however, of that he was sure. Something changed in her eyes - a softness that became confusion - then she looked away from him and refused to look back.

A few times during the hands-on questioning they put him through, his mind had drifted to her against his will. It surprised him when she arrived along with Kurama a few weeks later. He _smelled_ her as the door opened and found himself more frustrated by the inability to read minds in his cell more so then than his entire time captive.

When she was upon him, he recoiled. Her scent was almost too sweet at this proximity and, he would admit to no one, ridiculously _tempting_. The softly glowing hands hovering over his wounds looked delicate and frail, yet Kurama himself seemed to have faith in her abilities. He wondered briefly at their relationship before dismissing it as none of his business.

One woman was not worth fighting over. Kurama could have her.

It was maddening when he still found himself unable to peer into her thoughts after returning to the Human Realm with them. There was little to keep him from trying, however, after taking Kurama's threat as an empty one, so try he did. In the absence of mating smells and marks, he took on the challenge of subduing her.

He expected less of a fight.

Kurama told him it was pointless more than once, but his pride simply would not allow that to pass as an answer. The barriers around her mind were stronger than anything the fox had put together, though she seemed blissfully ignorant of the walls she had formed; this intrigued him more so. How did such a frail creature so easily guard themselves against an evil eye wielder?

What _was_ she?

Going to Koenma had proved fruitless in that endeavor - the Spirit Realm ruler knew nothing at all of her true origins, much to Hiei's annoyance. So far, Koenma had told him, they knew as much as everyone else did; she was not human, but she was no kind of demon they had ever come across. Hiei suspected Kurama knew more than he let on about the woman, but was well aware that he would get no information from the tight-lipped fox - keeping secrets was a hobby of his, as he had learned early on.

The only information he did receive from Koenma left a sour taste in his mouth and unpleasant images parading around his mind, sending inexplicable bolts of rage through him. He left shortly after the information, wishing he had no restrictions on his "freedom" - he had an intense urge to tear something to shreds.

He had let the information sit for nearly two weeks, though he found himself being _much_ harder on the human he had been designated to train for the tournament than he needed to be - to the point where it was almost cruel. During times when Kuwabara needed to recover, Hiei would sit on a nice tree branch and watch Ayane's progress with Kurama. She proved to be a fast learner under the fox's teachings - her once shaky martial arts had become almost second nature to her and she even managed to practice her healing while Kurama was gone, her ability to locate injured animals uncanny.

It was a simple activity - a mundane one in his opinion - but she carried it out almost daily with the utmost dedication. The compassion was nauseating, but he was reminded of his sister and found the atmosphere decidedly calming to be around.

Calming enough that it became a sort of habit he found himself unwilling to kick.

A night of memories kept him awake and, when he could take no more of the scenes replaying in his head, he left the tree he had tried to settle into hours prior. He had had no set destination in mind but, as tended to be the case, he found himself crouching just inside Kurama's window. Even before he straightened, he could smell her.

"Kurama. Woman."

It sickened Hiei how often he found the two wrapped around one another lately as they slept. He was annoyed at how domesticated his ally that he had put so much faith into had become. They were too surprised by his sudden appearance - too relaxed in each other's presence. At least the fox had the decency to act ashamed, he thought, as Kurama quickly uncurled himself from her side and cleared his throat.

She, however, had no such decency.

One sleep-filled glance in Hiei's direction and she huffed, turning away from him, trying to return to Kurama's warmth. The halfling glowered at the reddening of the fox's cheeks and the fruitless protests from his mouth at her actions.

Faster than he had arrived there, Hiei crossed the distance to them and grabbed her by the back of her nightshirt, tugging her straight out of the bed and onto the floor. There was silence for a moment as the three registered what happened. Ayane recovered first, squirming and doing her best to pry herself out of his grip, her face ablaze. How dare he handle her like that? How dare he interrupt her necessary rest?

"You stupid je-"

"We'll switch trainees, fox." It was a demand that knocked the wind out of her faster than him ripping her out of bed. The two that _had_ been sleeping peacefully stared at him, wide-eyed and bewildered. Where was this coming from? He returned the looks in a bored manner. "I tire of the blundering oaf."

A smile twitched at the corners of Kurama's lips and Ayane sank in Hiei's grip - he would turn his back on her during this time, they both sensed it before he said a word. With satisfaction, he let the woman scurry back to bed.

"Rest, fool. We start at dawn."

He found it impossible to rest on his own and, finding her and Kurama whispering to each other as he returned to the window, he wondered if she had gotten any either. They greeted him in whispers as well, so as not to wake the human woman Kurama watched over, and he returned it with a silent nod. A moment passed between them where they both realized she would have to ride on his back if he wanted her to keep up with him and, though he remained stoic, the panic on her face was clear as she looked back to Kurama.

"He won't kill you, Ayane," Kurama reassured her, and she glowered when she realized he was intentionally playing dumb. "Hiei, be careful with her. She's clumsy."

Crimson eyes rolled to the ceiling briefly, though there was no verbal response to the warning. Instead, slowly, a scowl formed across his face as he looked back to Ayane. "You're wasting my time, woman." A gasp left her lips when he yanked her towards him and his gaze dropped to her lips for the briefest of moments. Then her body weight was pressed against his back, her arms clinging tight to his neck, shaky breath tickling his ear, bare thighs pressed tight to his sides. "I won't come back for you if you fall."

Ayane didn't hear him, but she had no real need to. There was something so _nice_ about having her arms wrapped around him like this, to have his heat warm her to the very core despite his clothing. Until the cool air hit her cheeks, it did not register that they had even taken off. A sigh left her and she wished she had gotten more sleep. There was clearly no clarity in her thoughts.

A hard landing on a branch nearly ended in disaster; her legs slipped just slightly from around him, but his hands found them, bruising them in the process. She let out a small cry at the force but quickly bit her tongue at the sideways glare he sent her way. He allowed her a moment to regain herself and they continued on in silence, his hands remaining where they were as though to avoid another incident.

Neither would admit they missed the contact when they arrived in his training area.

"So…" She watched him take off his cloak and only looked away when his gaze returned to her. "I was wondering if you're going to teach me some sword training? Kurama is clearly unable to- Hey!" The suddenness of him right in front of her threw her off, though not enough to take the kick he sent her way.

The mention of the redhead infuriated him more than he knew was reasonable, yet he did not relent after the first attack. He found he had no need to. There was a fluidity in her movements as she dodged and parried his onslaught, almost as though they had found themselves in a sort of twisted dance. A smirk slowly formed on his lips when he realized how hard she concentrated on his limbs, how hard it must be for her to just keep track of him. There was certainly no sign of her trying to return his attacks.

"You're slow."

His words, taunting, surprised her more due to the fact they came from behind her. Though her intention was to retaliate - Kurama had taught her how to break holds early on in their training - her body refused to acknowledge her demands when one arm wrapped around her waist and a hand found its way around her throat. Fear gripped her; fear and something else she could not place.

"Will you not fight back, girl? Is this all you're worth?" Hiei growled by her ear. "I've killed you ten times already."

Every cell in her body screamed at his touch, his voice, his very _hot_ breath on her cheek. Blood rushed to her head, her thoughts clouded.

Then the prodding began.

"Stop it," she muttered, slowly coming to her senses. He scoffed at her attempts at a threatening tone and she grumbled when he pushed harder at her mental barriers. Part of her wanted to dwell in the unusual feelings she found herself having and she was annoyed at his attempts to pull her out of them. "I said… _stop_." A fierce wave of energy exploded from her body, loosening his grip on her and shoving him almost a yard away. "You boys never listen, I swear…"

Even if there had been words he caught before, there were none he caught then. The energy used to push him away had taken him by surprise - there had been none of that during the times he watched her train with the fox, yet she appeared to have complete control over it. Where had that power come from? Why had she never used it until now? And, an even more persistent question…

What else was she hiding?

"What _was_ that, woman?" he seethed, strafing around her, glaring as though she were a rabid animal. His eyes found the bruises he had left on her thighs on their way there, then slowly and almost proudly took note of the softer bruises forming on the parts of her body she blocked him with.

She shrugged and avoided his eyes. Her energy had always seemed to work around the most extreme emotions - anger, fear, grief. Working with spirit masters had proved useless and only the frustration at her inability to produce even a whisper of her power would give them a glimpse of her strength.

"I want your _full_ strength."

"I can't," she argued, finally looking up at him - his hungry gaze sent shivers through her but she refused to look away. "I don't know how."

A growl was the response she received and he approached her once again, slowly, calculating. Toe-to-toe, noses nearly touching, he snarled, "Then I'll just have to _force_ it out of you."


End file.
